Car-brake



(No Model.)

A. P. MASSEY.

GAR BRAKE.

No. 409,328. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

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NVENTOR:

WITNESSES N. PETERS, PlmmLiUwpr-.lphen wumngmn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT P. MASSEY, OF VATERTOVN, NEWT YORK.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ci' Letters Patent No. 409,328, dated August20, 1889.

Application iiled April l, 1889. Serial No. 305,528. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. MAssEY, a' citizen of the United States,residing` in the city of Vatertown, in the county of Jefferson and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Brakes, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a speciiication.

The object of my invention consists in utilizing the momentum of amoving car to provide the force necessary for applying the brakes whilethe amount of pressure applied to the brake-blocks is under the controlot' the engineer.

Figure I is a View of the apparatus as applied to a car with a portionof one side removed, also a sectional view of the cylinder. Fig. II is afront view of the same. Fig. III is a modification of friction-wheel andchainbarrel.

The foundation brake-rigging may be of any of the approved methods, asthis device is designed to connect with any pull-rod that is used inordinary brakes.

In the drawings, 1 is the axle, and 2 the bol ster, of any Car-truck,

3 is a wheel having its periphery formed of ine spring-wires 4, like abrush. This wheel is rigidly attached to the axle 1 and revolves withit.

5 is an endless chain, composed of flat links, which nearly surroundsthe wheel 3 4, but is supported wh en at rest by the roller 6, which isalso a tightener for the purpose of bringing the chain in contact withthe brush-wheel 3 4. The lower portion of the chain 5 is supported bythe flanges 7 when at rest. On each side of brush-wheel 3 4 are plates 88, which have bearings 9 9, in which the axle 1 is free to turn. Theseplates are joined together by studs 10 and 11 to form a frame forcarrying the swinging frame 12 13 14, which carries tightener 6. Theframe also carries pulley 15. This frame is kept in position by links16, 17, and 18, which attach it to bolster 2. The swinging frame 12 1314 swings on studs 19, so that by moving the cross-bar 14 to the leftthe tightener 6 will be raised and bring the chain 5 in contact with thebrush-wheel 3 4. The chain kind of brake-rigging- For actuating theapparatus by compressed air, the swinging framel is connected to apiston 22, which iits cylinder 21. The piston is exposed on one side tothe air-pressure in the train-pipe through connection 23 and on theother side to the pressure in the reservoir 24. A check-valve 25 isinterposed between cylinder 2l and reservoir 24, so arranged that airinaypass from 2l to 24, but cannot return.

27 is a gland to`keep the piston-rod tight.

The port 26, leading to check-valve 25, is located near the end of thecylinder, for a purpose hereinafter described.

28 is a chain connecting the pistoirrod and the swing-frame 1213 14.

In Fig. III, a is the car-axle; a, a hub keyed to axle; a4, a brush madeof wires attached to hub as. a5 is a chain-barrel for winding up chainago. It is loose on axle a, and is to be actuated by a fork in groovec6.

The operation is as follows: The brushwheel 3 4, being attached rigidlyto axle 1, revolves with it whenever the car is in motion. Thebalance ofthe apparatus remains stationary as long as the chain 5 is slack anddoes not touch the brush, If by some tension on the chain 28 thetightener G is raised, it will bring the fiat chain 5 in contact withbrush-wheel 3 4. This will cause the chain 5 to revolve with thebrush-wheel until the resistance is greater than the friction betweenthe brush and the chain. Vhichever way it revolves it will produce atension on the chain 20, and this tension will be in proportion to thetension on the chain 28, which holds the flat chain 5 in contact withthe brush 4. If the tension on the chain 28 is released, the dat chain 5will drop away from the brush 4, and the tension on chain 2O will bereleased. To place this apparatus under the control of the engineer, andalso to render it automatic in case of rupture of the train,the chain 28is attached to the piston 22, and the usual airpressu re,whieh it iscustomary to carry in automatic compressed-air brakes, is maintained inthe train-pipe, and thence, through connection 23, in cylinder 21. Thispressure also passes through check-valve 25 to reservoir 24. The piston22 is, therefore in equilibrium. It' the pressure in the train-pipe isreduced, the equilibrium will be destroyed, and the unequal pressure onthe piston 22 will produce a ten- IOO sion on chain 28 proportioned tothe difference in the two pressures. As there are no valves between thecylinderl 21 and the train-pipe, the engineer can vary the pressure inthe cylinder 21 at will, and thusinerease or decrease the tension onchain 28 at will, thereby varying the tension on chain 2O and applyingthe brakes to a greater or less degree, as desired. lf the train wereruptured, thepressure in cylinder 21 would be speedily reduced to thatof the atmosphere, and the pressure in the reservoir would move thepiston with full power and cause the brakes to be applied with greatforce. To release the brakes, the engineer restores the pressure in thetrain-pipe. This forces the piston 22 back toward reservoir 24 .andreleases the tension on chain` 28. The port 2G is placed at the extremeend of the travel of the piston, in order that the greater pressure inthe train-pipe may cause the piston to travel its full stroke before anyair can get to the reservoir, and thus insure a quick release. It isalso asafeguard against a leaky check-valve, as the piston passes theport to apply the brakes, and both sides of the valve are then in thesame chamber. No claim for this last feature is made here, as it hasbeen made the subject of an application for a patent filed under anotherDivision, Serial No. 311,789.

An ordinary friction-wheel would accomplish the same purpose to someextent as is reached by using the bruslrwheel, and so wouldfriction-cones, but suoli appliances produce great heat if held incontact for a length of time. In this device both sides of the flatchain and all sides of the wires of the brush are exposed to theatmosphere, which carries away the hea-t as fast as generated. They maytherefore be kept in contactindeii nitely without unduly heating. Thisenables the brakes to be held on with moderate pressure in going downlong mountain grades.

Though l have given special description of a fiat chain surrounding abrush-wheel, it is obvious that the same purpose might be at` tained,though not in so convenient a manner, by a sliding chain-barrel on thecar-axle in connection with a brush-wheel keyed to the axle, and a forkto ,throw t-he same in contact, as shown in Fig. 3. This would alsodispose of excessive heat in the same way.

1. In a ear-brake, a friction-wheel or disk one surface of which iscomposed of a large number of wires, in combination with a earaXle forthe purpose set forth.

2. In a car-brake, the frietion-wl1eel3 4, end less chain 5, andtightener 6, combined with a swinging frame for actuating the tightener,supported on a frame having bearings on the axle, substantially as setforth.

3. In a car-brake, a friction-wheel, one sur face of which is composedof a large number of wires, an endless chain surrounding said wheel, atightener, a swinging frame, and a piston and cylinder arrangedsubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name

